Safety of colonic anastomosis following portal triad occlusion in rats.

Traumatic colon injuries frequently coexist with liver injury. Stopping the bleeding from hepatic pool may require complete portal triad occlusion. The possible effects of portal venous occlusion on healing of colonic anastomosis were examined using a rat model. A colo-colonic anastomosis following resection of a 1 cm segment of the transverse colon was done with just a simple manipulation on the liver and portal triad in the group A. In the group B the portal triad was clamped for 15 minutes. Then, the clamp was released for a thirty minutes reperfusion time. Subsequently, the same technique in the control group for colonic resection and anastomosis was applied. Ischemia/reperfusion resulted in histologically proven alterations in the large bowel in the group B. However, colonic tissue superoxide dismutase values showed no significant differences between the groups. On day 7, no differences were recorded in bursting pressures of the anastomoses and the hydroxyprolene levels of the anastomotic tissues of the two groups. These findings suggest that colonic anastomosis after portal triad occlusion is safe in the absence of peritonitis.